What if Real Madrid try to beat the ban by bidding € 100m for Juventus star Pogba?
The only solution for Real and Atletico would be a postponement of the ban to January 2017, so that both sides could use the next summer window to bring in new faces.
Given the circumstances, that’s an highly unlikely option.
It is beyond doubt that Real and Atletico will not wait to see whether their appeal against the two-transfer-window ban will be successful or not. Rather, they are expected to use the next 15 days to start negotiations talks for players that they had already planned to sign next summer.
Careful. We are only talking about plausible options.
After all, who would be surprised if Florentino Perez – a president who has brought the likes of Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez to the Santiago Bernabeu over the last couple of years – would decide to make big offers to sign top stars in January?
That’s a situation that could really give some Serie A sides a headache.
Imagine, for example, if Real Madrid were to offer € 100 million to sign Paul Pogba from Juventus, adding the cancellation of Alvaro Morata’s buy-back clause in the deal.
How would Andrea Agnelli respond?
Juventus don’t need money. The Bianconeri have their finances in order, and are not forced to sell any of their best players. At the same time, that would be the kind of offer that would be difficult to refuse, both for the club and for the player. How could the Old Lady say no?
I have a feeling that the ban imposed by FIFA will push Real and Atletico to make some crazy bids in the January window.
How long Juve can hold out?
Stefano Agresti (@steagresti), translated by Lorenzo Bettoni (@lorebetto) and Edo Dalmonte (@edodalmonte)
